Healing Crystals - Do They Work?

For a long time healing crystals had been associated with New Age hippies but recently there has been a shift in peoples’ perceptions of crystals, along with A-list celebrities praising their virtues. Type in #healingcrystals into Instagram and you’ll find plenty of captivating images of gorgeous shiny rocks with energies that are supposed to help ground you, make you feel more confident and even find love.

"Whether you’re meditating with them, have them within your home or are just collecting them like works of art, they force you to stop, get off of your phones, breathe a little deeper and connect with yourself." Heather Askinosie, crystal expert and co-founder of www.energymuse.com spoke to Sara Coughlin https://www.refinery29.uk/2017/12/185411/healing-crystals-luxuty-trend-status-symbol

This backlash to our highly technological lives is very appealing. Crystals have been around for thousands of years, if they help make us feel more grounded and connected to the earth and nurture us to lead more fulfilling lives then they certainly do no harm.

Wild Planet’s interest in crystals began about ten years ago on holiday in Mexico travelling around the Mayan peninsular. One of the places we visited was Tulum, where just about every other spa offered holistic treatments in both aromatherapy and crystal healing to help your body, mind and spirit. I loved the notion of combining our aromatic, mood-boosting oils with specific healing crystals.

The idea to use these ‘energy stones’ in our aromatic products started to take shape back in the UK, but like many ideas was left at the bottom of the ‘to do’ list and other aspects of running a small business had to take priority. Fast forward to 2017 and finally we were able to start testing and trying out scent and crystal combinations working on a collection where specific oils and crystals work in harmony with each other. The world of crystals and minerals is a fascinating one and we have become a little crystal obsessed with our growing library of books and will admit to now having a crystal app on our iphone with information on every single crystal you can think of – it’s quite addictive.

But what’s all the fuss about and do crystals really work?

In Emma McCarthy’s interview with Anna-Marie Solowij, former Vogue beauty director and co-founder of retailer BeautyMart for her article in the Evening Standard 21 March 2016 says. “We are seeking to align ourselves with things that aren’t necessarily knowable. What I mean by this is that we live in a time when, at the click of a few buttons, we can potentially know about almost anything - from a cake recipe to how to fly a jumbo jet. What we can’t know about are the more spiritual things that are intangible and, because of this, these things (crystals) become more desirable and we want them to be part of our lives - as is the case with yoga, meditation and mindfulness.”

Krista Mitchell, a spiritual teacher believes that “People are looking back to ancient rituals as an answer to overwhelming consumerism. Methods of coping from 10 or 20 years ago are no longer sufficient to meet today’s demands so we’re turning back to the old - either due to exhausting our present options, or because ancient remedies appear to have stood the test of time. There’s something very primal, nurturing and sustaining in that connection.” From Rosy Cherrington’s 09/08/2016 article The Power Of 'Mystic' Beauty: Why We're Buying Into Crystals Over Chemicals - Can skincare really be spiritual? http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/beauty-trends-2016-uk-consumer_uk_57a834fae4b03393f7f6707f

Many celebrities who believe in the positive energy of crystals include Gwyneth Paltrow who sells a range of healing crystals on her site www.goop.com Katy Perry, Kate Hudson and Miranda Kerr all rave about using crystals as well as the highly respected actress Shirley Maclaine who wrote in her book ‘Going Back’ in 1989 “The first time someone gave me a natural quartz crystal I laid it in the palm of my hand to examine it. I was fascinated. Not only was it beautiful: it seemed to have dimensions within dimensions, reflections within reflections. It was a wonderful evening. And I slept better than I had in weeks.” https://www.thecut.com/2016/08/25-famous-people-on-crystals.html

Recently Kim Kardashian West was inspired by quartz crystals for the marketing and packaging of her new fragrance line http://www.instyle.co.uk/beauty/news/why-crystals-rock-and-the-celebs-who-swear-by-them#IIjKBLyaICjkwlWc.99

Crystals can also make beautiful, thoughtful gifts - the Hadid ladies (Yolanda and daughters Bella and Gigi) often give each other gifts of essential oils and crystals.https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/yolanda-hadid-gifts-diffuser-essential-oil-crystal/ Victoria Beckham also uses crystals and buys them for her team http://www.soulandspiritmagazine.com/favourite-celebrities-love-crystals/ and the Olsen twins gifted palm size crystals to those who attended their Autumn fashion show. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5387377/Olsen-twins-gave-CRYSTALS-Rows-NYFW-show.html The singer Adele was given some crystals just before a show and she believes they greatly enhanced her performances on stage http://www.soulandspiritmagazine.com/favourite-celebrities-love-crystals/

Positive vibes all round then? But is it just a placebo effect? Maybe - but that in itself is a very powerful thing. Clinical psychologist Cinzia Pezzolesi says that while “little scientific evidence exists to substantiate a crystal’s effectiveness”, and there are no proven medical benefits, “they appeal to people seeking calm in an otherwise chaotic world – for believers, their value may be in fulfilling the spirit, which suits them just fine”. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/feb/27/the-new-stone-age-how-crystals-became-a-magical-style-trend

So, in answer to our question do crystals work? Like so many things in life, if you really believe in something you will become more receptive to it. If burning a crystal infused, aromatic candle after a long day at work, applying a quartz face cream before the school run, drinking from a gemstone water bottle on the commuter train, or carrying a crystal with you into a meeting or on a long journey, decreases your stress and anxiety levels and helps you feel more positive and calm, then yes - those sparkly rocks from the earth do work.